Figure wheeled toy



June 20, 1950 E. s. SAVAGE 2,512,533

FIGURE WHEELED TOY Filed June 26. 1947 Patented June 20, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIGURE WHEELED TOY Edward S. Savage, Rochester, N. I; Lucile D.

Savage, executrix of Edward 5. Savage, deceased, assignor toLucile D. Savage Application June 26, 1947, Serial No. 757,157 Claims. (01. 46-98) The present invention relates to a wheeled toy, and particularly to a wheeled figure toy, designed to be pulled or otherwise propelled over a flat supporting surface such as a fioor. An object of the invention is the provision of an improved toy of this nature so designed and constructed as to simulate in a realistic manner the movements and sounds of an animal such as a duck.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a construction which will realistically open and close the mouth of the toy animal while at the same time swinging the head from side to side and causing the animal to follow a sinuous path of travel over the supporting surface.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a toy which, although having the various movements above mentioned, nevertheless may be made easily and inexpensively.

A still further object is the provision of mechanism for opening the mouth of the toy animal slowly and closing it rapidly, operated from the rotation of the wheels, and so designed and constructed that even though the animal may be pushed backwardly so as to rotate the wheels in a reverse direction, the parts of the mechanism will not jam or be deranged.

These and other desirable objects are accomplished by the construction disclosed as an illustrative embodiment of the invention in the following description and in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal vertical section taken substantially 0n the line l--l of Fig. 2, illustrating a figure toy in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the same, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and illustrating the front wheels turnedto the right; and

Fig. 3 is a view of the toy from the front, the lower part being in elevation with parts broken away, and the upper part being in vertical sectravel; and also one in which the mouth of the animal will open and shut.

Inthe case of a toy which simulates a duck, for example, it is also desirable that the mechanism for opening and closing the mouth of the animal be so constructed that it will open the mouth relatively slowly and close it quickly with a suddent snap which will produce a sound attractive to children and somewhat simulating the quacking of a duck.

Inthe preferred embodiment of the invention, the toy comprises a main body indicated in general at H and so shaped as to simulate the body ofan animal such as a duck, the main body H being hollow and open at the bottom, for the purpose of containing suitable operating mechanism. The bodyis supported on a front wheel assembly and a rear wheel assembly, adapted to travel over anyv suitable flat supporting surface. Each wheel assembly preferably comprises a plurality of wheels laterally spaced from each other, although obviously a single wide wheel, in the nature of a roller, could be used without departin from the principles of the invention. The rear wheel assembly in its preferred form includesan axle 2| suitably journaled in the side members oflthe body H and carrying the two wheels2'3 fixed to the ends of the axle 2| externally of the body. On the axle there is fixed a pinion '25 meshing with a gear 21 journaled on astub shaft 29 fixed to one side of the body, which gear'Z'l. is provided with a hole located eccentrically of, the gear, in which hole is fitted an angular end 'ofa link 3| which connects with a front wheel assembly to cause the front wheel assembly toturn first in one direction and then in the other, in a steering sense, so that the toy will travel a sinuous course rather than a straight course.

The front'wheel assembly comprises preferably two wheels, both indicated by the numeral M, and preferably provided with rubber tires so as to gripthe supporting surface with greater friction, the tires conveniently being in the form of rubber, "bands 43 extending circumferentially around peripheral grooves in the treads of the wheels. The two wheels are fixed to opposite ends ,of an axle 45 which, between the two wheels, extends through and is journaled in the lower part'of a vertical post 41. This post 41 has its diameter reduced at the shoulder 48, and above this shoulder is the portion of reduced diameter, indicated at '49, which extends upwardly through the top portion of the body H and is journaled therein, and projects upwardly beyond the top of the body H and carries a head portion 5| of the toy animal, which head portion is fixed to the post 49 by means of a transverse pin 53. The head portion preferably simulates the head of a duck or similar animal, and is provided at its forward end with a mouth formed from an upper beak or bill portion 55 which is stationary, and a lower beak or bill portion 51 pivoted at 59 to the head 5| and having a short or tail end 61 rearwardly of the pivot 59, and located in a recess 63 of the head 51.

Reverting to the post 41, 49, the shoulder 48 forms, in effect, a thrust bearing which bears against the under surface of top' member or the body of the toy animal and supports the for ward end of the body from the front wheel assembly.

Pressed onto the larger diameter portion 41 of the post, near the upper end thereof and just below the shoulder 48, is a metal plate H having an approximately horizontal portion encircling the post and preferably having upturned ears 13 which extend along the post 41 for a short distance and serve to grip the post firmly and resiliently, notwithstanding slight variations in the diameters of diiferen't posts to which the metal plates are to be applied when producing quantities of these toys. Preferably the post is provided with a slight shoulder against which the metal plate H is seated, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3. This metal plate H has a lateral extension I5 provided with a hole in which the angular forward end of the link 3! is engaged, as seen. It will be apparent that as the toy travels over the support: ing surface, the rear wheels" 23 will rotate, thereby rotating the gear 2'1 and causing the link 3! to move forwardly and rearwardly, thus swinging the plate H and thereby steering the front wheel assembly first to the right and then to the left and so on, so that the toy follow a sinuous path of travel. The head 5|, being fixed to the post which carries the front wheel assembly, will like-* wise turn from side to side just as the front wheel assembly itself turn from side to side.

The mechanism for opening and closing the mouth of the toy animal. comprises a cam merit-'- ber 81 fixed to the shaft 45 approximately cen trally between the front wheels 43, thepost 4'! being notched out with a central vertical slot as indicated at 83 (Fig. 3) in order to accommodate the cam 81. To insure that this cam will turn with the rotation of the wheels 41 and axle 45, the axle is preferably of non-circular shape, such as square, and the hole in the cain 8'! through which the axle extends is of corresponding non circul'ar shape. It is not necessary to pin the cam to. the axle, as the cam is held against displacement laterally of the toy (that is, longitudinally of the shaft 45) by being embraced in the slot 83 of the post. v

Cooperating with this cam is a rod 81, the up per end of which is wrapped around and thus pivoted to a cross pin 89 mounted in the rear portion 6| of the lower bill or beak 51'. The rod 81 thence extends downwardly through a slot formed in the upper portion of thebody i 1, the slot being considerably larger than the size. of the rod 8'! and being elongated in a lateral direction as indicated in Fig. 3. Thence the rod 81 extends through a slot 93 in a forward extension 95 of. the metal plate Hi, the slot 93' extending in a fore and aft direction when the front wheel assembly is. turned straight forwardly. Below, the extension 95 of the plate 1 l, the rod 81 is bent at. 96 so as to extend horizontally rearwardly as at 91, to a point a little behind the vertical plane of the axle 45, and then is again bent at a right angle at 98 so as to extend straight downwardly at 99, terminating in a lower end in position to cooperate with the cam 8| and to act as a cam follower for this cam, as seen particularly in Fig. 1.

At the front edge of the forward extension of the metal plate H, there is a downward extension llll having near its lower end a small hole, into which is hooked the lower end of a small coiled tension spring )3, the upper end of which is hooked over the rod 81 at the bend or corner 96. It will be note dfrom Fig. 1 that the spring i6 3 ext'end's somewhat obliquely, so that it has the effect of pulling the rod 87 both downwardly and forwardly. Thus the spring tends to keepthe rod 81 at the forward end of the guide slot 93, but the rod can move rearwardly in the slot 93, as well as upwardly through the slot, against the tension of the spring 1-03.

As the front wheels o l rotate, the cam 8'4 will rotate with them, of course,- and the high points on'the dam will lift the lower end of the rod, thus opening the lower bill 51 of the mouth of the duck or similar animal. The cam BI is pref erably so shaped, as indicated in Fig. 1-, toprovide two lifting shoulders at diametrically oppo: site point on the cam. The operating rod will be lifted at a moderate speed by each of these shoulders, and then when these shoulders have lifted the rod to its. maximum extent (at which point the bill 51 is inv the open position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1) the lower end of the operating rod will slip suddenly off of the high part or shoulder of the cam and will be pulled: down'' ward violently by tension of the spring H13, thus quickly closing the lower bill 5? and causing it to clack against the upper bill 55. If both bills are made of wood, as is preferably the case, the clackingsound caused by the closing of the mouth will somewhat simulate the quack of a duck,at least to a sufficient extent to satisfy those of tender. years, who constitute the principal users of a toy of this kind. v

The toy can be grasped by hand and pro-- polled, forwardly, or can be pushed from the rear, but preferably it is pulled, as for example by a cord or string Ill tied to a staple H3 fastened in the front central portion of the. body of the toy. As it is pulled forwardly by such a cord, it is apparent that the rotation of the rear wheel assembly will cause a steering movement first in one direction and then in the other of the front. wheel assembly, so. that the toy will follow a sinuous path, and the head. will turn from. side to side along with the front wheel assembly. Also, the rotation of the front wheel assembly will, through the cam 8i, periodically raise the rod 81 and then allow the rod to be snapped. back downwardly with. a quick motion, by the tension of the spring I03, thus snapping. the mouth shut and creating a quacking noise by the sudden contact. of the lower movable bill 51. with the upper stationary bill 55. The result is a toy of great enjoyment to youngsters, although it consists of but few parts and is easy to manufacture on 'a mass production basis.

In case the youngster should decide to try moving the toy rearwardly rather than forwardly, no damage is done to the mouth operating parts, be cause of the provision. of. the slot 93. If the cam 8! is rotated rearwardl'y, it will be seen from Fig. I that the high points of the cam, instead of contacting first with the bottom end of the rod,

will contact with the forward side of the vertical part 99 of the rod. If the rod could notsmove rearwardly, the partswould jam.z However, the spring I03 allows the rod to pull rearwardly in the slot 93, far enough so thatthe vertical part 99 of the rod will clear the end of the cam as the same rotates in a reverse direction, there being no damage to the parts, although with reverse rotation the mouth of the toy animal will not open and close. As soon as forward movement is resumed, however, the mouth will'open and close in the normal and intended manner.

The slot 9| in the top of the body of the animal is sufficiently wide in a direction from side to side of the body, so that it does not interfere with the necessary lateral movement of the operating rod 81 as'the front wheel assembly and the head swing from side to side. I

From the proportions of the gears 25 and 21 as seen in Fig. 1, it will beapparent that the gear 21 will make one complete revolution for several revolutions of the gear 25 and the wheels 23. Hence one complete cycle of lateral oscillation of the head and the front wheel assembly, will take place for each several complete rotations of the wheels '23, and of the front wheels 4|, which are of approximately the same diameter as the wheels 23. But the mouth of the toy animals opens and closes at least once for each since revolution of the front wheels 4|. Hence it is seen that the mouth will open and close a plurality of times during each complete cycle of lateral oscillation of the front wheel assembly and the head of the toy animal. This increased rate of operation of the mouth of the animal, as compared with the relatively slower rate of lateral oscillation of the head and lateral steering of the toy along its sinuous path, is one of the features which results in a realistic and enjoyable toy.

It is seen from the foregoing disclosure that the above-mentioned objects of the invention are admirably fulfilled. It is to be understood that the foregoing disclosure is given by way of illustrative example only, rather than by way of limitation, and that without departing from the invention, the details may be varied within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A wheeled figure toy comprising a body portion, a head portion, and a month including a movable part shiftable to open and close the mouth, a supporting wheel, a cam associated with said wheel, said cam having a lifting shoulder, an elongated rod-like cam follower mounted for both longitudinal and lateral movement and having a lower end normally in position to be lifted by said shoulder upon rotation of said cam in one direction and then to slip off of said shoulder upon continued rotation of the cam, said cam follower being capable of lateral displacement out of the path of travel of said cam when said cam is rotated in a reverse direction, a connection between said cam follower and said movable mouth part, and a spring tending to move said mouth part to closed position and serving to close said mouth part quickly when said cam follower slips off of said lifting shoulder, the same spring tending also to resist lateral displacing movement of the lower end of said cam follower.

2. A wheeled figure toy including a hollow body portion, a Wheel assembly mounted in said hollow body portion for oscillation about a substantially vertical axis, a head portion mounted above said body portion for oscillation relative thereto about substantially'the. same verticalaxis, said head portion having a movable mouth part shiftable from an open position to a closed position, and means operated by said wheel assembly for opening and closing said mouth part more than two times during each cycle of oscillation of said head portion about said substantially vertical axis.

3. A construction as described in claim 2, in which said means for opening and closing said mouth part includes an operating member extending downwardly from said mouth part to said wheel assembly, and a cam associated with said wheel assembly for moving said operating member.

4. A construction as described in claim 2, in which said means for opening and closing said mouth part includes an operating member extending downwardly from said mouth part to said wheel assembly in laterally offset relation to said axis. of oscillation, a cam associated with'said wheel assembly for periodically raising said operating member, and a spring for moving said operating member downwardly after it has been raised, said downward movement causing a relatively fast closing movement'of said mouth part.

5. A wheeled toy comprising a body, a movable part thereon, a supporting wheel, and means for moving said part concomitantly. with rotation of said wheehsaid means including a cam associated with said Wheel, an elongated rod-like substantially rigid operating member operatively connected to said movable part and having a portion passing adjacent said cam, said portion being so shaped and located that said cam, when rotated in a normal direction, contacts with one part of said portion and tends to move it in a first direction generally longitudinally thereof, and when rotated in a reverse direction, contacts with a second part of said portion and tends to move it in a second direction generally laterally thereof and approximatel perpendicular to said first direction, and a guide for said operating member, said guide being elongated approximately in said second direction to allow displacement of said operating member in said second direction upon reverse rotation of said cam.

6. A wheeled toy comprising a body, a movable part thereon, a supporting wheel, and means for moving said part concomitantly with rotation of said wheel, said means including a cam associated with said wheel, an elongated operating member operatively connected to said movable part and having a portion passing adjacent said cam, said portion being so shaped and located that said cam, when rotated in a normal direction, contacts with an end of said operating member and tends to move it longitudinally, and when rotated in a reverse direction, contacts with a side of said operating member and tends to displace it laterally, and a bearing plate having a guide opening through which said operating member extends, said guide opening being elongated in a direction laterally of said operating member so that said operating member may move laterally in said guide opening when said cam rotates in a reverse direction.

7. A wheeled toy comprising a body, a movable part thereon, a supporting wheel, and means for moving said part concomitantly with rotation of said wheel, said means including a cam associated with said wheel, an elongated operating member operatively connected to said movable part and having a portion passing adjacent said aerate cam; said portion being so shaped and located that said when. rotatedinza normal direction, contacts with an end of said operating mem her and tends.- to mo'vevit longitudinally, and when rotated in a reverse-direction contacts with a side of said operating member and tends to 'displace it laterally, a bearing platehavmg a guide opening through which said operating member extends, said guide opening being elongated in a direction laterally of said operating member so that said operating member may move laterally in said guide opening when said cam rotates in a reverse direction, and a spring tending to resaid operating member resiliently at one end of said guide opening.

8;Ar wheeled toy comprisinga body, an approximately verticalipost mounted in said body for turning movement about an approximately vertical axis, a head member mounted on the upper end of: said post, an approximately horizontal axle mounted: on said post near the lower end thereof, a. supporting wheel carried by said axle, said wheel, axle, post, and head member being so related and connected to each other that they swing bodily in unison with each other about said approximately vertical. axis, a movablemouth member mounted on said head member, a. cam mounted on. said axle pand a substantially rigid operating rod connected at its upper end to said mouth. member and having a lower and normally 8 position to he engaged and raised upwardly by torward'rotation 0f.'S'9idWheE1- and cam, to operate said mouth member;

9; A toy asrclaimed in claim 8, further including' means connected to said post for guiding said rod near the-rlower end thereoi, said; guiding means-including an elongated slot in which said rod may move from a normal position near one end of: the slot to a displaced position near the other end of the slot, and a spring connected to said rod to tend to maintain it in said normal position.

1.0. A toy as claimed in claim. 9-, in which said cam and said'lower end of said rod are so related to each other that fiorward rotation of said cam: willengagethe end of said rod and raise it longitudinalflsy upwardlyv and. reverse rotation of said cam will engage a side of said rod and. dis place it laterally in said guiding slot.

1 EDWARD S. SAVAGE.

REFERENCES- CITED,

- The following references are of record in th iiie of this patent:

UNITED sra ms PATENTS 

